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Annual Meeting

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The use of genomic sequencing, understanding the role of epigenetics in tumor progression in non-small cell lung cancer, and identifying novel targeted therapy combinations are among the topics of research being presented by grant and award recipients at this year’s premier oncology meeting in Chicago. The Conquer Cancer Foundation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) will present more than $5 million in grants and awards to more than 200 promising oncology researchers at ASCO’s 48th Annual Meeting, taking place June 1-5, 2012.

“The Conquer Cancer Foundation is dedicated to advancing the care of people with cancer by supporting vital cancer research and investigator career development. Our grants and awards program, one of the most extensive in the world, supports clinicians and ground-breaking research in the practice of oncology,” said Martin J. Murphy, DMedSc, PhD, Chair of the Foundation Board of Directors. “Research conducted by this year’s honorees will improve the lives of cancer patients as it draws us closer to creating a world free from the fear of cancer.”

With a focus on clinical and translational research, the Foundation’s Grants and Awards Program has grown and diversified into one of the largest grant programs among professional medical societies. Since its inception over 28 years ago, it has awarded more than $77 million to researchers worldwide, contributing to improved care for patients with cancer in every corner of the globe. Since 1984, the Grants and Awards Program has launched the careers of more than 800 physician-scientists - many of whom have become leaders in the field of oncology and have continued to receive additional research funding from the Foundation throughout their careers.

Drug Development Research ProfessorshipThe Drug Development Research Professorship is designed to provide flexible funding to outstanding researchers who have made, and are continuing to make, significant contributions that have changed the direction of cancer research. The award supports researchers in exploring new and promising therapeutic compounds that will lead to improved treatments and mentoring young researchers in the scientific and regulatory aspects of drug development. This year’s recipient is:

Advanced Clinical Research Award in Breast CancerThe Advanced Clinical Research Award (ACRA) is designed to fund investigators who are committed to clinical cancer research in an area not currently funded. The ACRA supports physician-scientists in their fourth to ninth year of faculty appointment to perform original research, and provides a three-year grant totaling $450,000. This year’s ACRA recipient and research project is:

Merit AwardsThe Merit Awards are designed to promote clinical cancer research by young investigators and to provide them with the opportunity to present their research and interact with other oncology researchers at the ASCO Annual Meeting. This year, the Foundation will distribute 105 Merit Awards to oncology fellows who submitted high-quality research for presentation at the Annual Meeting. Five of these researchers will receive Special Merit Awards, including the inaugural James B. Nachman ASCO Junior Faculty Award in Pediatric Oncology. Established in memory of James B. Nachman, MD, Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Chicago and an internationally renowned pediatric cancer expert, this award is given to a junior faculty member who submitted the highest-ranking abstract in pediatric oncology. This year’s Special Merit Award recipients each authored the highest-ranking abstracts in select categories:

James B. Nachman ASCO Junior Faculty Award in Pediatric Oncology

Yael P. Mosse, MD, The Children’s Hospital of PhiladelphiaEfficacy of crizotinib in children with relapsed/refractory ALK-driven tumors including anaplastic large cell lymphoma and neuroblastoma: A Children’s Oncology Group phase I consortium study.

To view the full list of 2012 Merit Award recipients, please click here.

Career Development AwardsThe Career Development Award (CDA) provides funding to clinical investigators, who have received their initial faculty appointment, to establish an independent clinical cancer research program. This year’s 11 recipients will each receive a three-year grant totaling $200,000. The 2012 recipients and their research projects are:

William William, Jr., MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterNon-coding RNAs as predictive biomarkers of benefit from epidermal growth factor receptor-targeted therapies in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

Young Investigator AwardsThe Young Investigator Award (YIA) provides funding to promising investigators to encourage and promote quality research in clinical oncology. The award funds physicians, who are within the last two years of their final subspecialty training at an academic institution, to aid their transition from a fellowship program to a faculty appointment. This year’s 42 awardees will each receive a one-year grant of $50,000 to fund their investigative studies as they begin their careers in oncology research. To view the full list of YIA recipients, please click here.

International Development and Education AwardThe International Development and Education Award (IDEA) provides opportunities for early-career oncologists in low- and middle-income countries to further their knowledge and careers and establish strong long-term relationships with leading ASCO members who serve as scientific mentors to each recipient. This year 24 awardees are participating in the IDEA program, including four oncologists who have an interest in palliative care (PC). This year’s IDEA recipients are:

Long-term International FellowshipThe Long-term International Fellowship (LIFe) provides early-career oncologists in developing nations the support and resources needed to advance their training through a one-year fellowship with a U.S. or Canadian colleague at the colleague’s institution. When the recipients return home, they in turn apply the new knowledge and skills gained from the valuable training experience in their country. The 2012 recipients are:

Medical Student Rotation AwardThe Medical Student Rotation for Underrepresented Populations (MSR) provides 8- to 10-week clinical or clinical research oncology rotations for U.S. medical students from populations underrepresented in medicine who are interested in pursuing oncology as a career. As part of the program, awardees work with a mentor oncologist who provides ongoing academic and career support. This year’s recipients are:

Kathlene Babalola, University of Pittsburgh

Colby Cantu, University of Wisconsin

Brainerd Erhiawarien, University of Maryland

Jacquelyne Gaddy, Loyola University of Chicago

Giorgio Guiulfo, University of Central Florida College of Medicine

Eva Hudgins, University of Pennsylvania

Jaselyn Justiniano-Torres, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University

Teresa Martin-Carreras, University of Central Florida College of Medicine

About the American Society of Clinical OncologyThe American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is the world’s leading professional organization representing physicians who care for people with cancer. With more than 30,000 members, ASCO is committed to improving cancer care through scientific meetings, educational programs, and peer-reviewed journals. ASCO is supported by its affiliate organization, the Conquer Cancer Foundation, which funds ground-breaking research and programs that make a tangible difference in the lives of people with cancer. For ASCO information and resources, visit www.asco.org. Patient-oriented cancer information is available at www.cancer.net.

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The Conquer Cancer Foundation® is registered in Virginia as a nonprofit corporation. The Conquer Cancer Foundation is a public charity exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.